Raleigh-Durham lands 1st flights to Mexico City as Aeromexico expands to North Carolina

The international lineup keeps growing at North Carolina's Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU).

Aeromexico plans to launch nonstop daily flights between RDU and Mexico City International Airport (MEX), becoming the first carrier to fly the route. The Mexican carrier said flights between Raleigh-Durham and Mexico City would start July 1, 2024.

"The Raleigh-Durham region and Mexico are linked by their large agricultural communities and strong business sectors, especially in the technology and furniture manufacturing industries, all with strong ties between companies in the two markets," Aeromexico said in a statement.

Aeromexico's presence in RDU adds to a growing list of international carriers serving the North Carolina airport. In July, Air France added routes between RDU and Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG). Additionally, Lufthansa has plans to fly from RDU to Frankfurt Airport (FRA) in 2024. Air Canada and Icelandair also currently operate flights out of RDU.

Mexico City is RDU's ninth international destination.

Major expansion: Aeromexico adds 17 new routes to the US — mostly to Delta hubs

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The new route also comes after the Federal Aviation Administration recently restored Mexico's aviation safety rating to the highest level; this allows Mexican airlines to add new routes from the U.S. and for U.S. carriers to sell tickets for flights operated by Mexican carriers. The FAA previously downgraded Mexico because it found that the country could not sufficiently oversee its carriers according to standards set by the United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organization, the AP reported.

Now that Mexican carriers can again expand in the U.S., Aeromexico's RDU-MEX route is part of a larger expansion where the carrier plans to operate 17 new routes connecting Mexico and the U.S. It's part of a joint cooperation agreement with Delta Air Lines.

Jeff Morgan, Aeromexico's senior vice president for network planning and scheduling, said the new route will offer U.S. travelers greater access to Aeromexico's network.

"This route will create new connecting options with Aeromexico's extensive national network, giving travelers enhanced access to Mexico's business centers, beautiful beaches and historical sites," Morgan said to Aviation Week.

Below is Aeromexico's schedule from RDU. All flights will be operated with Embraer E190 aircraft.

• RDU-MEX: Departs at 4:30 p.m. and arrives at 6:35 p.m.
• MEX-RDU: Departs at 9:05 a.m. and arrives at 3:15 p.m.

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